Presented by Asia Art Archive for ART HK09Just meters from the bright lights of ART HK 09’s exhibition hall, AAA presents a series of programmes with some of the leading experts and practitioners in the field. Backroom Conversations includes panel discussions and screenings that touch on a number of prevalent issues and offer a first-hand look into the contemporary art world today.

Thursday 14th May

DOCUMENTARY SCREENINGS – CHINA

2.30 pm | Room N111 | The Rising Tide with introduction by Robert AdantoDirected and produced by Robert Adanto | USA | 2008 | 93 min | Mandarin & English with English subtitles

Robert Adanto’s The Rising Tide investigates China’s meteoric march toward the future through the words and work of some of its most acclaimed video artists and photographers. The Rising Tide captures this momentous time in China’s history while exploring the work of artists, who comment with intelligence, wit, foreboding and nostalgia.

The Godfather is probably a franchise well known to many people, but what is not well known is the franchise’s attempt at creating a video game of the story, and for good reason.

The most outstanding problem in this game, was probably the graphics. One should expected a lot more from EA with our next-gen graphic systems, maybe more detailed and smoothed graphics for the clothes, make the screen look more vintage, but this just looks like GTA transported back to the 1920’s without the deep story to absorb and the sandbox gameplay.

Another problem is the AI. The AI for enemy guards and made men are about as useful as water pistols in a fire-fight. The passive AI will either charge AT you and your made men alone or they will take cover in almost impossible to shoot locations, making regular gunfights pretty tedious. Not only will the AI continuously test your patience in the showdowns, but so will your weapons. The ridiculously small ammo clip means alternating guns every 3 minutes to conserve what’s left of your ammo. Don’t expect the enemies to help you, even the ammo they drop are meager in number, sometime dropping only 10 Tommy Gun rounds after you unleashed maybe 100 to kill them.

The interface of the game is surprisingly good, despite the unappealing graphics. The designers make a great effort mimicking Soprano NY and a post-WWI Cuba quite appealing to the eye, even if it is well, blurry. NPC’s on the street just make this game too interesting, with every different person having a programmed line to say every time he or she passes Dominic, and one will hear their fair share of 20’s lingo. There is obviously violence in this game, but nothing like blood spraying everywhere whenever you shotgun a guard, just some occasional blood spurts when kneeing a beat-down target. Despite the reputation of a more ruthless and sinister type of gang warfare, Saints Row epic street fighting and GTA free-form gunning will easily trump Godfather in terms of how ruthless you kill someone.

Comparing to the other two criminal game giants that take form of a heavily gang oriented Saints Row and an extremely freeform sandbox in GTA, Godfather is most definitely the underdog. The Row just offers so many possibilities, with the extremely comfortable gameplay from wreaking havoc in the urban areas to locating stunt jumps that will literally shoot you from one end of the highway to the other. GTA itself is the original game for crime, and with each new generation gives the player more and more freedom to shape the city anyway they want, something Godfather II lacks greatly.

When it comes down to it, Godfather II is a game that has a good foundation concept, but need MAJOR work on it to really shock and awe gamers, especially this VERY disappointed one. If you want to test it out yourself, just borrow it from a friend or rent it from a local game store, because this is not worth the US$59.99. Just try harder next time EA, because you probably weren’t expecting this, a 2 out of 5.

Web Wednesday – Hong Kong
Tidbits of news about the Internet and digital media in Hong Kong. Brought to life by a lively monthly networking event, held at Lotus Restaurant & Cocktail Bar in central Hong Kong on the first Wednesday of every month. Do pop along to the next event